Archive for the ‘book reviews’ Category
Fast, Fresh & Green by Susie Middleton
Fast, Fresh & Green on Amazon.com
Today I’m so pleased to welcome Susie Middleton, author of Fast, Fresh & Green: More than 90 Recipes for Veggie Lovers.
As you all know, I’m a huge fan of starting a garden, supporting local farmers, and/or joining a community garden, so Susie’s book has been a great find for me — I actually stumbled upon Susie’s blog, Six Burner Sue, because she had mentioned baby goats. How fortuitous!
Susie sent me a copy of her book, and I fell in love immediately. More than just recipes, Fast, Fresh & Green really breaks down the basics of how you can handle all different kinds of vegetables, including ones you may have been scared to use in the past. There is so much great information and many wonderful recipes, but the photos alone in this book would be worth the price of admission. It’s absolutely gorgeous. Trust me, you *need* this handy reference book for veggies on your shelf.
I also love where Susie is coming from with her info; she’s not a vegetarian or a “nutrition nut” as she puts it, but she does “think it would be better for the planet and our well-being if we ate a little less meat and a few more vegetables.” Exactly!
As for Susie’s background, she was an editor at Fine Cooking magazine for many years and still contributes there. In addition to keeping her own blog, Susie also now writes at the Huffington Post Green Page; Fast, Fresh & Green is her first cookbook, which you can also “like” on Facebook. All photos courtesy of Susie’s website, SixBurnerSue.com.
1. How would you describe your book in just a few sentences?
My book, Fast, Fresh & Green, masquerades as a recipe collection—more than 90 delicious vegetable side dishes—but in reality, it’s a primer on how to cook vegetables, organized by 9 great techniques that will expand your repertoire and let you cook (and eat) an amazing variety of vegetable side dishes.
Read more about Susie Middleton
2. What inspired you to write this book?
When I was editor of Fine Cooking magazine, I discovered that people really wanted to eat and cook with more vegetables—our vegetable side dish features were some of our most popular stories—but that they often only knew one or two ways to cook them, or were worried about making dishes that didn’t appeal to everyone at the table. (Cooks often have adventurous palettes, but just as often, they also have to cook for people who have more conservative tastes, or don’t think they like things like vegetables.)
While there are plenty of vegetarian cookbooks on the market, I knew I wanted my first cookbook to be for everyone—a way to make the dinner plate more exciting for all kinds of eaters and a way for everyone to learn a few more ways to cook vegetables. So I decided to organize my book by technique, and to keep the flavor boosters interesting but not too exotic.
3. As a writer myself, I’m always curious to know about a writer’s process. What is yours like?
I was a writer before I was a cook—though very possibly I was born both, as I’ve always loved words and food. I come from a food- and cooking-obsessed family (I watched 4 of them argue about the best way to grill hot dog buns the other day), so the cooking thing was probably inevitable.
But I still love to write more than just about anything. I had some really good creative writing classes in both high school and college, and I was taught to write like I talk. So that’s what I do. I sit down and have a conversation with myself or an imaginary audience. Then, my years of being an editor (the other side of my brain) kickstart the editing process and I go back and revise.
Actually, I am pretty much constantly revising—especially lead paragraphs. One of the nicest things my publisher, Chronicle Books, let me do in Fast, Fresh & Green, is talk. Because the teacher in me got to speak—to give lots of tips and opinions. And one thing I feel strongly about is giving valuable information to readers. It’s fine to indulge a bit in the writing process, but I always remember to make sure I’m giving away at least one or two good tidbits of helpful information.
Read more about Susie Middleton
4. Did you have a particular readership in mind when you were writing the book? Did that change/expand as you wrote?
As I alluded to above, I didn’t write the book for long-time experienced cooks (although many are enjoying it!) but for the folks who are just getting excited about being in the kitchen and the folks who cook but really want more vegetable dishes in their repertoire, just to eat a few more delicious vegetables every day. (See my HuffPo post on this subject.)
I am really excited that I’m reaching these cooks, and I had a great email the other day from someone who said Fast, Fresh & Green had changed her eating habits and her dinner plate—that she thinks about the vegetables on the plate first now, instead of the meat.
5. What’s up next for you regarding work projects? And more specifically, are there goats in your future?
Next up: Two new book proposals are in the works, but I’m afraid I can’t reveal details about them just yet. I want to keep strengthening my blog, SixBurnerSue.com, which is new this year. And I want to continue working out how growing vegetables will be a part of my cooking/writing/growing equation. My first market garden is thriving this summer, but the time/money equation is a tough one. If I decide not to grow to sell in the future, I will at least be committed to growing a much bigger percentage of my own food than I have in the past.
I still write regularly for Fine Cooking and other magazines, and absolutely love my life on Martha’s Vineyard, where I am surrounded by farms and food. Nothing better! No goats just yet…but you never know!
Thanks so much, Susie!
What is your favorite vegetable and/or veggie dish?
What veggie would you like to prepare but haven’t yet?
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100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go by Susan Van Allen
Remember when Susan Van Allen was here a while back telling us why women love Italy so much? Well today it’s my turn to tell you a little more about her book, 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go.
Susan has just released an UPDATED version of the 2009 edition; additions include a map, budget tips, and online resources, where Bleeding Espresso is included. Woohoo! Grazie, Susan!
100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go would be a true treasure in your library, virtual library, or even in your life via iPhone app.
Whether you want to find a cooking course, spa, religious retreat, great beach, or just some fabulous shopping, Susan has it covered –in every corner of the Bel Paese. When I first received this book, I thought it would be something I’d flip through every now and again when the mood struck; instead I found myself reading chapters straight through, imagining myself visiting all of the wonderful places Susan describes so well.
The tone is friendly and the advice sincere, so you really do feel like you have a knowledgeable girlfriend by your side with the inside scoop on where you should go on your next Italian vacation. I probably don’t need to tell you this book would make a *fabulous* gift for your favorite Italophile who also happens to be a lady, either.
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What’s a place in Italy you feel is appealing to females?
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For more from Susan on 100 Places, be sure to check out her interview on the Eye on Italy podcast, which I co-host.
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Palermo by Roberto Alajmo
If you’ve been to Palermo in Sicily, you probably either loved or hated it. My love for the city is no secret. Palermo is not a place that throws open her arms to you; she makes you work for it, makes you discover her charm one ridiculously busy street at a time — and I tend to like that in cities. See also: Philadelphia.
I’ve written a series of posts about some of my favorite popular stops in Palermo including the Duomo, Fountain of Shame, Antica Focacceria San Francesco, and the Capuchin Catacombs, so when I got an offer to review Roberto Alajmo’s new book Palermo from Haus Publishing, I jumped at the chance. The fact that it fits in perfectly with the Gita Italiana 2010 is like icing on the cannoli. Or something like that.
Roberto Alajmo is a native of Palermo; this book is translated into English by Guido Waldman. When I received it, the first thought in my mind was whether this was going to be a love letter to the gritty Sicilian città probably known best for the Mafia and its pastries — and I’d say yes. Yes it is, but it’s a palermitano love letter, if you will.
Now let me explain.
Alajmo speaks directly to a first-time visitor to his city from the first sentence: “You have to get yourself a window-seat and arrive on a clear sunny day.” This sets the tone of the entire book as he educates the reader about the city’s sights, but not just tourist attractions. Much of the book is a tongue-in-cheek look at the city and its natives with caustic, wry observations about illegal structures, Palermitano mentality about corruption, rubbish, politics, and so much more.
Buy Palermo by Roberto Alajmo on Amazon
I found myself smirking through most of Palermo (and underlining an overwhelming portion of the book) because Alajmo’s analysis is so keen, his criticism subtle and yet full of daggers. He leaves you with many thought-provoking ideas such as the real reason why the South has so many unfinished buildings: “an unconscious sense that total completion carries with it an inbuilt sorrow.” It’s just a brilliantly written book.
So where’s the love?
Remember, Alajmo is a native of the city. He knows it. He appreciates its beauty, but he really delves into its problems — *big* problems in many instances — and the latter is what nearly all of this book is about. But in order to truly love someone (or in this case, something), don’t you have to recognize the faults and decide to love anyway?
So, yes, I would characterize Alajmo’s Palermo as a love letter to his city — a whopping, entertaining dose of tough love, but would a Palermitano have it any other way? I just loved it. Five very full espresso cups out of five.
Aside from content, by the way, this is simply a snazzy little book. It’s hardcover and measures 15.6 x 11.6 cm (about 6 x 5 inches); perfect for stuffing in your bag on a trip and a great gift item as well.
Have you been to Palermo? Would you like to go?
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El Marsam B&B Cookbook: An Umbrian Farmhouse and Its Kitchen
Kicking off the Gita Italiana 2010 is a review of my friend Ginda Simpson’s wonderful new cookbook, El Marsam B&B: An Umbrian Farmhouse and Its Kitchen.
If you’ve been around Bleeding Espresso for a while, you might remember Ginda from when I wrote about her first book, Deeply Rooted, in faith & family. Ginda’s family has roots in Calabria, but she has made her home in Umbria, where she operated the El Marsam B&B for many years and also creates gorgeous paintings (which was also featured in the previous post).
Ginda’s cookbook is full of great recipes from Artichoke Chicken to Zuppa Frantoiana (Tuscan white bean soup), but if that isn’t enough to draw you in, you will love reading the anecdotes sprinkled throughout the book that tie all the dishes together. With some snippets you’ll learn the history of a recipe or a cultural tradition, with others you’ll devour how certain foods came into Ginda’s life, and then, of course, there’s my favorite — the one about the shepherd in Calabria making pecorino as it’s been made for centuries.
Ginda’s writing style is friendly and conversational, so you’ll feel like you have a supportive guide in the kitchen with you as you work your way through 70 gorgeous recipes; if you’re like me, though, you’ll read through all the stories first and then backtrack through the recipes, re-reading the stories as you make your way through the book again. I haven’t tried any recipes yet as our kitchen slows down considerably in the summer, but I’ve already marked off the first three I’ll try: Farfalle with Speck & Rucola, Red Pepper Jam, and Cappuccino Mousse. Yum!
If you’d like to purchase Ginda’s cookbook and learn more about her art, writing, and life in the Umbrian countryside, you can do so at GindaSimpson.com.
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Impariamo l’Italiano con l’Aiuto della Mano! by Giuliana Sica
Impariamo l’Italiano is eye-catching, informative, engaging, and the illustrations are downright adorable.
Read on...
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
Calabria Guidebook
Recipes
